Rider Omega Pro’s Ycong is Asian Elite champ anew

Jorry Ycong (center) on the top of the podium with second placer Edward Vince Macalalad and teammate Paul Jumamil.
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Bellevue 5150

Jorry Ycong of the Rider Omega Pro triathlon team successfully defended his Asian Elite crown in the Bellevue Resort 5150 Triathlon on Panglao Island, Bohol, yesterday.

The 27-year-old Ycong from San Jose, Negros Oriental, clocked two hours, 10 minutes and 50 seconds to come away with the crown.

Ycong and teammate Paul Jumamil took the lead in the last six kilometers of the 1.5-kilometer swin, 40km bike and 10km run triathlon. But Ycong said Jumamil, the Boholano who won the 2015 Asian Elite crown, advised him to go ahead in the final stretch of the run segment since there were other triathletes closing in on them and the latter felt he could not go any faster.

“Paul told me in the final three kilometers to go ahead and leave him because others may catch up,” Ycong said.

Edward Vince Macalalad eventually caught up and finished second with a time of 2:11.05 while Jumamil settled for third, clocking 2:11.28.

Fellow Rider Omega Pro triathlete Andrew Kim Remolino, a Cebuano who is a member of the National Team, topped the men’s 15-19 age group by clocking 1:12.19.

New men’s pro champ

Meanwhile, Australian Tim Reed denied Sam Betten a third straight title as he ruled the men’s pro class of the race.

Reed, the three-time champion of the IronMan 70.3 Philippines, clocked 1:58.24 seconds to outlast Betten, who finished in 2:01.24. Dan Brown rounded off the top three with a time of 2:32.56.

The 32-year-old Reed banked on a strong showing in the run leg to make up for a so-so performance in the bike leg to pull off the win.

Reed admitted the bike course was a tough one for him. He clocked 56:13 in the bike course while Betten did it in 55:45.

“To be honest I thought my legs were going to be great on the bike, and not so good on the run. Then I got on the bike and I felt really flat, really tired,” said Reed.

Betten got his rhythm on the first five kilometers of the bike course but then things turned south during the run leg.

“My plan was to go as hard as I could from start to finish but I think I dropped to about one kilometer during the run, and that was about it.”

Betten, who came out of the water first, struggled in the run with a time of 42:00 compared to Reed’s 37.52 run.

Meanwhile, Kerry Morris (2:14.45) was named the new women’s pro champion as she outlasted fellow Australian Dimity Lee Duke (2:15.07), who was also last year’s second placer.

American triathlete Laurel Wassner came in third with a time of 2:24.48.